Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation Launches New Unit Investment Trust Funds in the Philippines

Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation announced the launch of three actively-managed Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITFs), namely Manulife Stable Income Fund, Manulife Income Builder Fund, and Manulife Equity Wealth Fund to investors in the Philippines. Licensed to operate in June this year, Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation is a provider of retail and institutional investment products in the fast growing Philippine market.

Three newly offered funds have been designed to provide diversified investment exposure based on different risk and return objectives:

Manulife Stable Income Fund- a bond fund that seeks to preserve capital and generate income by investing in fixed income securities with maximum remaining term to maturity of up to three years.

Manulife Income Builder Fund- a bond fund that seeks to achieve stable and long- term growth by investing in government securities and/or high quality corporate debt securities and other liquid fixed income instruments.

Manulife Equity Wealth Fund- an equity fund that seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing in stocks listed on the Philippines Stock Exchange, fixed income securities and other liquid fixed income instruments.

“As we continue to expand in the ASEAN region, we are excited with the launch of the three new funds shortly following the establishment of Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation in the Philippines,” said Michael Dommermuth, Head of Wealth and Asset Management, Asia, Manulife. “With the launch of the trust company and the new UITF products, we are poised to ride the robust growth momentum in the Philippines’ fund industry, which saw the assets under management (AUM) held by UITFs grow by 31 percent over the past three years.”

Ryan Charland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Philippines, commented: “With our 110 years of insurance expertise in the Philippines, Manulife offers a suite of protection, wealth, savings, education and health products that address different financial needs. The establishment of Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation underscores our commitment to strengthen our solutions for our customers and their families, so that we can help them achieve their financial goals.”

Aira Gaspar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation, added: “Our team is ready to deliver a strong suite of investment solutions, leveraging our global investment expertise and resources covering various asset classes and investment strategies. While the financial markets are likely to be moved by external developments, we believe that the Philippines’ strong economic growth accompanied by relatively low inflation expectations provides a favorable backdrop for the local bond and equity markets. Over the short-term, the passage of the tax reform package could provide the much- needed catalyst for the local stock market to continue its upward trend. The bond market on the other hand, is expected to gain support from well-anchored inflation expectations. Bonds remain an ideal investment option for a diversified portfolio.”

Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corporation, a subsidiary of Manulife Philippines, secured its certificate of authority to operate trust and other fiduciary business in the Philippines in June 2017. It is the first trust corporation in the Philippines that is backed by a leading multinational financial services group.